Meta

Category: Electronic Arts

There has been a bad power-creep over the years relating to the increase in price and reduction in ‘finished product’ quality regarding the video game industry. This has largely been due to the rise of DLC and the prominence of ‘pay to win’ style schemes. EA has been one of the most notable offenders and they’ve come under particular scrutiny for their work on the ‘Star Wars: Battlefront II’ beta release. The problem, fans argued, was that EA was putting too much emphasis on the Loot Crate concept and it was turning off fans who didn’t want to effectively pay for a game every time that they played it. EA finally went public, addressing those concerns.

It was EA CEO Andrew Wilson that took to the public forum in order to comment on the rise of loot crates, paying to win, and how fans are reacting to the concepts. Wilson said in a conference call, “We are engaged in that conversation, engaging with our player son a daily basis as we think about that.” Wilson’s words weren’t particularly strong and they definitely won’t tide the anger that has been building up in the hearts, and wallets, of gamers around the globe. Wilson went on to highlight the ‘Star Wars: Battlefront’ sequel as an example of how they are engaging in more fair practice with consumers. He pointed out that all DLC in ‘Battlefront II’ will be released for free instead of hiding behind a ‘season pass’ style offering.

EA has consistently come out to say the right things regarding the problem surrounding pay to win gaming. Their goal, ostensibly and according to Wilson, is to create “Balance and fairness inside of gameplay”. Whether this is lip-service or a genuine gesture remains to be seen, but you can rest assured that gamers will be paying close attention.

One of the most exciting things for gamers everywhere is E3. And EA, one of the biggest companies at E3 has released their lineup for the annual conference. There have been some exciting titles announced.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 – Battlefront returns, this time with some of the newest characters in the Star Wars franchise. This time around there’s Rey, Darth Maul, and classics like Boba Fett and Luke Skywalker.

Madden 18 – Longshot – The Madden franchise is well known, to say the least. And this newest addition will add even more to that legacy. This time, instead of just a football game, it will be story driven and cinematic.

FIFA 18 – Play your favorite teams as you vie for the glory of a World Cup title. FIFA is well known as the best soccer game franchise. There is also a career mode, where you can follow a single player as he goes through his career.

Need for Speed Payback – Need for Speed is one of the best known, and most loved racing franchises. The games are on point, and beautiful, and this newest edition will be no different. From the exotic cars to the hot rods, the vehicles are as beautiful as they are impressive.

Anthem – A completely new game from BioWare, Anthem looks impressive. Do your best to survive in a post-apocalyptic world with your mech. It certainly looks to be an impressive new adventure.

A Way Out – A new indie game, with three modes, split-screen, co-op, or online. It looks to be a very unique experience as you view the narratives of two different characters side-by-side. Freedom is the goal of this game, and you may have to do some not so pleasant things to get it.

“Star Wars Battlefront II” will feature Rey, Darth Maul, Boba Fett, Luke Skywalker and other characters from both trilogies and the Disney-era films. The game will also feature a story mode that tells the story of an as-yet-unnamed female soldier affiliated with the villainous First Order; this character’s motivation will be a quest for revenge against the Resistance for its actions against the Empire.

“Madden 18” features a “Longshot” mode that will add a new, cinematic approach to football, complete with full motion capture technology. This game will use the Frostbite game engine that has been seen in titles like “Dragon Age: Inquisition” and “Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare.”

“FIFA 18” gains a single-player story mode that has players controlling the career of Alexander, a rookie player with aspirations of making it into one of the world’s greatest soccer clubs.

The “Need for Speed” franchise gains another installment in Need for Speed: Payback. A preview of the title’s gameplay focused on a pair of car thieves in the American southwest. The video highlighted the pair’s attempts to carjack a supercar being transported by a diesel truck and proceeded to emphasize the level of detail put into the destruction of various vehicles, culminating in the implication that criminal driving will be pursued not only by rival criminal games but also by aircraft. Need for Speed: Payback is set for a November release.

As an original IP instead of a sequel, “Anthem” seems to be a rarity among Electronic Arts. EA’s presentation of this new “Bioware” title revealed a futuristic post-apocalypse filled with mechanical exosuits and a civilization struggling to make it through each day within sprawling walled cities of metal. Much like Madden 18, Anthem will utilize the Frostbite engine.